340 EEBOISEMENT ^ IN FRANtJE. 



ill the region of the Alps — at Aurillac, for the mountains of Central 

 France, and at Tarbes for the Pyrenees. 



TLe various points of discussion and statements of conclusion or of 

 donbt, were carefully reported to the central office. 



The opinions of the administration were added to these reports by 

 ■way of remarlvs, and then published. Although specially relating to 

 reboisement, these questions involve principles affecting the rights of 

 jjroperty in woodlands, and the duty of government in the exercise of 

 its right of eminent domain to control these rights, where they concern 

 tbe public welfare. They more frequently, however, state difnculties 

 arising in management and cultivation, that are likely to occur else- 

 where, and may therefore serve a most useful purpose in this country, 

 by suggesting ideas applicable with us, either in applying laws that the 

 general or State governments may deem it necessary to pass in respect 

 to timber-planting, or by aiding in the solution of difficulties that may 

 arise in individual experience.^ 



Dispositions manifested by the population. — The inhabitants of mountain 

 districts, being much engaged in the interest of pasturage, do not wel- 

 come, in general, the measures of reboisement, but look upon them with 

 much apprehension. Yet the personal proceedings of the agents, with 

 the concurrence of the prefectoral authority, have overcome much ot the 

 resistance of the municipal councils. In many cases, communes have 

 voted aid for replanting denuded mountain-lands. In the arroudisse- 

 ment of yaint-Girons seventeen communes had given up a twentieth 

 part of the price of fellings sold in 18G0 and ISGI, or the proceeds of 

 damages and fines, to be used for this object. There has been occasion 

 to remark that on many points the mass of the population is favorable, 

 and the opposition comes from the more or less influential members of 

 tbe local administrations having a personal interest in preventing pas- 

 ture-lands from being diminished. 



There is reason also to acknowledge, that the rapidity of success of 

 the works, has had a good eftect in bringing tbe communes to enter 

 upon the scheme. This result is notably the case in the Pitij-de-JDume, 

 where important works have been done for some years under a provis- 

 ion of the forest code, and where opposition is now rarely shown and 

 is easily overcome. 



As for private parties, they generally hesitate about undertaking 

 works Qf reboisement, the fruits of which they can only reap after long 

 delay. They dread the expense and the difficulties of surveillance, and 

 are kept back from ignorance of the means that should be employed to 

 accomplish conveniently the replenishments. Many, especially in the 

 Loire, have shown a desire to see the direction of the works ot reboise- 

 ment intrusted to the agents of the forest service, and the example in 

 this matter is found to be contagious. The fact has been established 

 in the Ardeche, where some persons have been asking aid on the invita- 

 tion of forest agents, and these have been speedily followed by many 

 proprietors. The number of requests in this department amounted to 

 365 in 1861. 



Remarks. — Tbe report given of the state of mind in raountainons regions relative to 

 reboisenieut indicates thie means to be employed to enlist tho sympathy of the j)oi)ular 

 tiou iu the operations. To multiply the personal proceedings, to make a good st-leotion 

 of ground for first experiments, in order to arrest the eye — to convince tbe indiffer- 

 ent and the incredulous, and to call in the conjoint actiouof the prefectoral authority 

 at all times whon resistance, resulting from personal interest, is shown iu the municipal 



iWe have generally adopted the translation given by Mr. J. C. Brown in his admi- 

 rable work on Reboisement already cited in presenting these points of objection and 

 reply. 



